Pressure regulator



March 13, 1945. A. BOYNTON PRESSURE REGULATOR, BELLOWS TYPE Fi1 ed Aug.- 27, 1941 2 SheetSrSheet 1 32 3| s3 3 I 35 27 32 i 29 0 s5 7 l gz4 h ALEXANDER BOY/VTO/V,

I A I lu v W" P A TTQjA/EIS.

March 13, 1945. A; BOYNTON 2,371,219

' I PRESSURE fiEGULATOR, BELLOWS TYPE Filed Aug. '27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ALEXANDER BOY/VTON, 62 lNVE/VTOF,

Fig. 5.

' ATTUR/VEYSI Patented Mar. '13, 1945 PRESSURE REGULATOR, BELLOWS TYPE Alexander Boynton, San Antonio, Tex.; Sida; S. Martin executrix of said Alexander Boynton,

deceased Application August at, 1941, Serial No. 408,521

12 Claims. (CI. so -2s) My invention relates to pressure regulators.

This application is an improvement upon my Patent Number 2,007,363 issued July 9, 1935, and is a continuation in part of my copendingapplication, Serial Number 408,522, filed Aug. 27, 1941.

The principal object is to provide a regulator that will reduce fluids from any high pressure within the intake pipe to any desired low pressure within the discharge pipe. l

Another object is to provide a regulator which may be adjusted readily to vary the pressure with n the case housing the device and within the discharge pipe leading from it. 7

A further object is to provide a regulator which vwill not be damaged by extremely high pressures andwhich will function efliciently at both high and low pressures. I

Other objects reside in the extreme accuracy with "which the regulator may be set, inits long life, cheapness to manufacture, and the ease with which. repairs may be made.

In accomplishing the foregoing objects, I em- 'ploy a hermetically sealed metallic bellows anchored at one end andfree at the other end. A sleeve is attached to the free end of the bellows and extends below the other end where a valve adapted to control the flow of pressure fluid into the regulator is attached to the sleeve. When a predetermined value of pressure fluid contacts the bellows, it will compress and close as having similar connection-with a continuation form of parts where intersected but the sections are primed to avoid possibleconfusion, due to the fact that some of the parts are different otherwise and bear different reference characters in the primed and unprimed sections, except in Fig. 4 wherein the device'is rotated 90 degrees from the position shown by the section 3-3.

Referring to Fig. 1, the lower threaded endof the housing nipple I will be understood, by way of illustration, as having connection with a pipeline laand thesteel L 31 threadedly joined into the boss 2a of the head 2 will be understood of the pipeline la to which the lower end of the nipple is connected. Arrows indicate the direction of flow through the regulator.

The outer shell of the device is formed by the nipple I having threaded connection with the head 2 which in turn has similar connection with the shell cap 3 having its lower end engaged upon the packing 4 The shell 3, proximate the the valve, a yieldable member being provided to permit the bellows to compress farther than the distance required to. seat the valve in order to prevent the bellows from being damaged by extremely great external pressures.

The construction and operation of this invention is clearly set out and described in the following specification and the accompanying drawings. in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the preferred embodiment taken on the line Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a. cross section on the line 33,-Fig. 1-. Fig. 4 is a partial longitudinal section of the device shown in Fig. 1,, the section being taken on the line 4- -4, Fig. 3, the device being rotated 90 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through a modified form of the invention.

Similarcharacters of reference are employed to designate similar parts throughout-the several views.

The primed sections 2'--'2 and 3--3' in Fig. 5 will be understood as being the same as to the base of its boss 3a, has central opening which 'closely receives the rod 9 about which the packing 6 is engaged by the gland ,5 having slight clearance within the boss 3a. and over the rod 9. The gland cap 1, having threaded engagement over the boss 3a, drives the gland 5 to engage the packing 6 which, together with the packing 4 and the several threaded connections, causes the outer shell of the device to be hermetically closed except at the lower end of the nipple and the discharge opening through the boss'2a.

The anchoring nipple 4|, having threaded engagement within the head2, has an enlarged upper end engaging upon the packing 42 by means of which the connection between thehead 2 and the nipple 4| is made hermetic, the wrench slots 43 being for a special tool employed to assemblethe members 2 and 4| after the parts within the anchoring nipple 4| have been assembled as shown.

The bellows assembly anchoring member 21,

having the two semi-circularuprights 28, has,

threaded'connection into the lower end of the nipple 4|.

.member 44 by the solder or weld Ill. The base connection member-26 and the bellowslower end The packing 35 is engaged between the bellows assembly anchoring member 21 and connection member 44 may be threadedly joined together as shown, the solder or weld 48 being employed to make this connection hermetic. The threaded connection between the member 26 and the uprights 28 supports the bellows l1 centrally of the valve carrier shell 36. The overhanging annular shoulder 26a of the member 26 prevents the pronged uprights 28 from spreading when the member 26 is screwed down firmly upon them.

The guide pipe 20 within the bellows, havin slight clearance within the bellows and the member 44, may be pressed over the depending extension of the member I 5 and securedupon it by the welds 45, as appears. The spring base 23, having its lower point engaged centrally within and upon the member 26, has slight side clearance within the guide pipe which normally has the large end clearance 45 between its lower end and the member 28.

The coiled spring 22, having its ends engaged between the members [5 and 23, has slight clearance within the guide pipe 20. When the be]- lows is compressed, the valve 32 will close upon its seat 3| and considerably compress the spring 22, while some of the end clearance 46 will remain still open, as will be explained later.

The position of the bushing 41, to which the valve carrier shell 36 is attached by the welds l6, determines the clearance between the valve 32 and it seat 3|. a central internal bore which closely receives the rod 9 where it is secured by the welds II. The hexagon or otherwise suitably formed shaft I0 is slidable within the hexagon portion In of the adjusting shell l2, in order to provide means The hexagon shaft 10 has for raising or lowering the valve 32 by means of rotating the shell l2 independently of the shell .36 which latter shell is prevented from rotation by the cross bar 33 otherwise free between the uprights 28. shell l2 and the bushing 41 be by means of right hand threads. clockwise rotation of the rod 3 by means of the handle 8 will raise the bushing 41, the valve carrier shell 36, and the valve 32, and vice versa. The slidable engagement between the shaft l0 and the shell 12, of course, should be somewhat longer than the maximum distance of the valve travel.

Preferably the bellows should be partially filled with a liquid. such as oil or glycerine, leaving a pocket of air within the bellows above the lubricant. The central opening 24 and the cross bore are for the evident purpose of preventing the guide pi e 20 from impinging upon the lubricant when the bellows is compressed. Likewise, the openings 2| through the pipe 20 are provided in order that the lubricant may be free within the bellows.

The bushing 41, having threaded connection over the adjusting shell l2, has the valve carrier shell 36 pressed over it and secured upon it by the welds IS. The cross-bar 33 is secured to the lower-end of the shell 38 by the welds 34. The

' valve 32 has threaded connection into the crossbar, the lateral ends of which are slidable freely between the uprights 28.

The connection member l5 has a rod-like upper central extension l5a slidable through the central opening in the lower extremity of the shell l2. The coiled safety spring l3. having slight clearance within this shell and larger clearance over the extension lid. is engaged upon the, lower internal annularly flanged extremity of the shell l2 by the nuts I 4 engaged over the upper If the engagement between the 3|. In this manner, the air pocket within the bellows may be compressed farther after the valve 32 has been seated, thus providing that the bellows will not be pulled loose from its end connections by the application of great external pressure.

It is apparent that, no matter how great the external pressure upon the bellows may be, the

internal pressure will be the same, minus the force required to compress the springs l3 and 22. Consequently, no external pressure, however great, will ever damage the bellows if springs of proper force be employed. To illustrate: If the force required to compress the springs 13 and 22 as far as the bellows will compress under 10,000 pounds external pressure be 300 pounds; then if 10,000 pounds be applied externally to the bellows, the internal pressure will be 9,700 pounds. It being possible to secure metallic bellows that will not be ruptured or deformed by 300 pounds external pressure, it is evident that the construction shown in Fig. 1 will function as stated and as will be explained further. e The spring 22 preferably will be installed under some compression so as normally to stretch the bellows somewhat, in order that'it will operate partly in elongation and partly in compression during its movements responsive to varying external pressures.

The pressure gauge 40, having connection with the head 2 by means of the nipple 38 and the elbow 39, will be employed to indicate the pressures maintained by the regulator.

The length of the air pocket above the lubricant within the bellows should be such that the bellows cannot be compressed far enough to damage it before the air pocket will be compressed as far as any anticipated external pressure will compress it. The end clearance 46 preferably should be always approximately equal to the length of the air pocket within the bellows.

The distance between the valve 32 and its seat 3| over the opening 30 and the force required to compress the bellows I! with its inclosed air pocket and the spring 22 determine the value of the external pressure upon the bellows necessary to close the opening 30, it being borne in mind that the safety spring I 3 is not compressed until after the valve 32 seats and that the latter spring serves only as a safety element enabling the bellows to be further compressed after the valve seats in order to prevent extremely great pressures from damaging the bellows as previously explained.

If the regulator be installed in a pipeline, for example. and the valve 32 be at such distance from its seat as to engage that seat at some predetermined value of pressure upon the bellows, that will be the value of the pressure discharged into the line connected into the L 31.

It will be observed that the anchoring nipple 4| is upset externally proximate its upper end and that the base of the threads extend outward slightly beyond the greatest diameter of this nipple below the threads. This construction provides that theregulator mechanism may be removed entirely from the outer shell by removing the shell cap 3 and the nipple 4| for convenience shell 6|.

lar to corresponding members in Figs. 1 to 4 in-.

elusive, such members being designated by the same reference characters in this modified form also. Parts bearing the same reference characters in both constructions will be understood as serving the same purpose throughout and, for that reason, may not be discussed further in-the specification of the modified construction.

The shell cap 64. having the same packing gland assembly as that shown upon the upper ,end ofFig. 1, is threadediy joined to the head 49, the packing 65 serving to make the connection hermetic. The-housing nipple I is connected into the head 49 and into the pipeline la.

The valve 54, having threaded connection with the cross bar 33 as in Fig. l, is slightly larger than the valve 32 in the preceding embodiment because it engages the'valve seat 58 upon the yieldable valve seat member 51 and therefore must be'of such-length as to prevent the cross bar 33 from striking the anchoring .member 55 when the bellows .H is subjected to its maximum compression and the member 51 has, at the same time, been forced downward the maximum distance of its travel.

The lower end member 63 has threaded connecJ- tion with the depending tubular extension 56 of the anchoring member 55. The anchoring nipple 6-1 has an enlarged upper end forming an annular flange which firmly engages the packing 42 upon the head 49 by means-of the threaded engagement between the head and the nipple. This nipple has threaded engagement with the tubular extension 56 of the-member 55 and supports the assembly centrally of the'housing nipple l. The

solder or weld 66 secures the engagement between the tubular extension 56 and the anchoringnipple 61 in order to prevent the threadsfrom possibly becoming loose duringadjustments of the device.

The gland 6|, slidable within the member 63,

engages the packing 52 by. force of the coiled safety spring 60 preferably installed under several times greater'compression than that of the spring 22 within the bellows. The member 51,

having a close slidable clearance through the gland 6| and the lower end member '63, is urged against the nether end of the member 55 by the safety spring 60 which also causes the packing 62 to form a hermetic barrier around the member 51. 1 I

It w'll be noted that the threaded opening. within the member 49 into which the anchoring nipple 61is engaged is shown to be of such diameter that. the members 56 and 53 will pass through it for convenience in assembling and removing the internal mechanism.

The central opening 59 through the member 51' communcates between the lower connection with the pipeline la and the interior of the nipple'6l via the opening between the uprights 28, this, 5

the rod 9 by the welds I I, it is apparent that the bushing 4'! and the valve carrier shell 36 will be raised or lowered as desired to properly position the valve 54 with relation to its seat.58, as was explained for the similar construction of the preceding embodiment.

It will be understood that the bellows in Fig. 5 should be partially filled with a liquid lubricant for the purpose of preventing the bellows from being damaged by great external pressures, as was explained in connection with Fig. 1.

Itis apparent that the valve seat member 51 will yield by compressing the safety spring 60'if great pressure should force the bellows to contract further after the valve 54 has engaged its seat 58.

The safety spring 60 should be appreciably stronger and undermore compression than the spring 22 in order that the valve 54 may seat and that many minor changes in construction can be made by substituting equivalents for the parts shown, and I reserve the right to make such changes and substitutions within the scope and purpose of the stated objects and appended claims.

Operation of the device is as follows:

In Fig. 1 high pressure fluid enters from the pipel'ne Ia through the opening 30, flows up around the'valv'e carrier shell 36 and out through the L 31. The spaces between the uprights 28 and the clearance of the shell 36 permit line fluid to surround the bellows Hand subject it to substantially pipe line pressure. As shown'in Fig. 4; the uprights 28 are integral with the anchoring means 21 carrying the valve seat 3|. As pipe lne pressure causes the bellows" to contract the Whole bellows assembly is forced downward and. the valve 32 is lowered into place upon the seat 3|. If for any reason, the bellows I! should continue to contract after the valve 32 is seated it merely compresses the spring I3. Movement of the bellows assembly is permitted by the sliding fit between the hexagon shaft l0 and the adjusting shell l2. Theshaft I I1 and the handle or wheel. 8 permit the wholebellows assembly to be raised or lowered to vary the regulator pressure.

In Fig 5 the safety spring 60 performs the funct'on of the spring I3 in Fig. 1, the valve seat member 51 yielding upon continued contraction of the bellows ll after the valve 54 has engaged the seat 58.

I claim: 1. In a pressure regulator: a housing nipple fitted to be connected into a pipeline; an anchoring nipple secured in said .housing nipple; an

anchoring member secured within said anchoring nipple, said anchoring member having an opening therethrough; a valve seat surrounding said opening; a pair of upright extensions upon said anchoring member; a bellows assembly having one end free and the other end secured upon said upright extensions; an adjusting shell movably secured upon said housing nipple; a safety spring in said shell; means for engaging the free end of said bellows assembly upon the outer end of said safety spring; a valve carrier shell surrounding said bellows assembly and having one end secured upon said adjusting shell; a crossbar secured across the other end of said adjusting shell and slidable between said upright extensions; a valve secured upon said cross-bar, said valve being engageable with said valve seat; and means connected to said valve for adjusting the space relation between said valve and seat.

2. In a pressure regulator: a housing nipple fitted to be connected intoa pipe line; an anchoring nipple secured in said housing nipple; an anchoring member secured within said anchoring nipple, said anchoring member having an opening therethrough; a valve seat surrounding said opening; a bellows assembly having one end free and the other end secured upon said anchoring member; an adjusting shell movably secured upon said housing nipple; a safety spring in said shell; means for engaging the free end of said bellows assembly upon the outer end of said safety spring; a valve carrier shell surrounding said bellows assembly and having one end secured upon said adjusting shell; a valve secured upon said valve carrier shell, said valve being engageable with said seat; and means connected to said valve for adjusting the spaced relation between said valve and seat.

3. In a pressure regulator: a housing means fltted to be connected into a pipe line; anchoring means secured in said housing means; a bellows assembly secured upon said anchoring means; an opening through said anchoring means; a valve seat surrounding said opening; a bellows assembly having one end free and the other end secured upon said anchoring means; an adjusting shell movably secured upon said housing means; a safety spring in said shell; means for engaging the free end of said bellows assembly upon the outer end of said safety spring; a valve carrier means secured to the free end of said bellows; a valve secured upon said carrier means and engageable with said seat; and means connected with said housing means arranged to regulate the force required to close said valve.

4. In a fluid pressure regulator; a housing nipple fitted to be connected into a pipe line; a head secured to said housing nipple; an anchoring nipple secured to said head and extending into said housing nipple; an anchoring member secured within said anchoring nipple; a pair of upright extensions upon said anchoring member; a bellows assembly having one end secured upon said upright extension; an adjusting shell within said head; a valve carrier shell surrounding said bellows assembly and .having one end loosely secured upon said adjusting shell; 9, cross-bar secured across the'other end of said valve carrier shell and slidable between said upright extensions; a valve secured upon said cross-bar and having clearance through said anchoring member; a valve seat member in position to be engagedby said valve; a safety spring urging said valve seat member to yieldably engage said anchoring member, whereby said valve seat member is engaged by said valve when a predetermined force is exerted upon said bellows assembly and yields when a predetermined greater force is exerted upon said bellows assembly.

5. In a pressure regulator: a housing nipple fitted to be connected into a pipe line; a head secured to said housing nipple; an anchoring nipple secured to said head and extending into said housing nipple; an anchoring member secured within said anchoring nipple and hermetically engaged therewith; a bellows assembly secured at one end upon said anchoring member and free at the other end; a valve; valve carrier means secured upon the free end of said bellows assembly and supporting said valve; a seat memberhaving an opening therethrough surrounded by a valve seat to be engaged by said valve; a safety spring urging said valve seat member to yieldably engage said anchoring member, whereby said valve seat member is engaged by said valve when a predetermined force is exerted upon said bellows assembly and yields when a predetermined greater force is exerted upon said bellows assembly; and means connected to one of said valve and said valve seat member and operable exteriorly of said housing means arranged to adjust the space relation between said valve and valve seat member.

6. In a fluid pressure regulator: a nipple; a pressure responsive bellows assembly in said nipple; a plate member having an opening therethrough, said plate member being secured hermetically to said nipple and being also secured to one end of said bellows assembly, the other end of said assembly being free and having a valve supported therefrom; a spring; a valve seat member normally engaged upon said plate member by said spring, said valve seat member having an opening therethrough, said opening being surrounded by a valve seat to be engaged by said valve when a predetermined force is exerted upon said bellows assembly, said valve having clearance through said opening in said plate member; and means for adjusting said valve in spaced relation to said seat member.

'7. In a pressure regulator: a metallic bellows secured within a nipple having inlet and outlet connections with a pipe line; a guide pipe in said bellows; a spring in said guide pipe; a spring base in said guide pipe; a lubricant in said bellows; an air pocket in said bellows; openings in said guide pipe and spring base for circulation of said lubricant; a valve; closure means hermetically sealed upon said bellows, one end of said bellows being free; means upon said free end for operating said valve; a valve seat member engageable by said valve to close an opening through said member; and yieldable safety means exterior of said bellows for causing said bellows to be undamaged by high fluid pressures thereon.

8. In a fluid pressure regulator: a housing nipple; a head secured to said nipple; an anchoring nipple carried by said head and projecting into said housing nipple; a valve seat carried by said anchoring nipple and having a passage for fluid; a pressure responsive bellows, assembly; means to anchor one end of said bellows assembly, the other end of the assembly being free; a valve for cooperation with said valve seat to control passage of fluid through said passage for fluid; means for connecting said valve to the free end of said bellows assembly; and means for safeguarding the bellows of said bellows assembly from danger of a permanent deformation by excessive pressures upon said bellows.

9. In a fluid pressure regulator: a housing nipple; a head secured to said nipple; an anchoring nipple carried by said head and projecting into said housing nipple; a valve seat carried by said anchoring nipple and having a passage for fluid; a pressure responsive bellows assembly, which includes a bellows, a spring being free;

laces within the bellows: with said bellows to 000 of said within the bellows, and a guide pipe surrounding the spring; means to anchor one end oi said bellows the other end of the assembly a valve for cooperation with said valve seat to control passage oi iiuid through said passage for fluid; means for connecting said valve to the free end of said bellows assembly; and means for safeguarding the bellows of said bellows assembly irom danger of a permanent. deiormation by excessive pressure upon said bellows. 4

10. In a fluid pressure regulator:'a housing nipple adapted to have one of its ends connected to apipe line; a head secured to the other end or 'said housing nipple and having a fluid outlet adapted. to be connected to a continuation of the pipe line; an anchoring nipple,

one end of which is secured to said head, said 1 anchoring nipple projecting into said housing nipple: a valve seat carried by the other end of said anchoring nipple; a bellows lower end con nection member rigidly mounted in said anchoring nipple; a bellows havingone end sealed to said bellows lower end connection member; a bellows upper end connection member to which the other end of the bellows is sealed; a spring within said bellows, one end of which spring engages said bellows upperend connection memher: a spring base with which the other end of said spring engages; a member connected to said bellows lower end connection member, and engaged by said spring base a ioraminous guide pipe carried by said bellows upper end connection member within the bellows and embracing said spring and having sliding engagement with said spring and with said bellows lower end-connection member; a lubricant within said bellows,

' said lubricant serving to'limit, thecompression oi said bellows and to lubricate the sliding surd a valve connected rate with said valve seat for purposes il.-In a fluid to a pipe line; a head secured to the other end housingmle and having a fluid outlet adapted tobe connected to a continuation assigns ol said pipe line; an anchoring nipple, one and ot which is secured to said head, said anchoring nipple projecting into said housing nipple; a

valve seat'carried by the other end. or said anchoring nipple; a bellows lower end connection member rigidly mounted in said anchoring nipple; a bellows having one end sealed to said bellows lower end connection member; a bellows upper end connection member to which the other end of the bellows is sealed; 9. spring withv in said bellows, one end of which spring engages of said bellows and to said bellows upper end connection member; a

spring base with which the other end of said spring engages; a member connected to said bellows lower end connection member, and engsged by said spring base: a ioraminous guide pipe carried by said bellows upper end connection memberwithin the bellows and embracing said spring and having sliding engagement with said spring and with said bellows lower end connection member; a. lubricant within said bellows, said lubricant serving to limit thecompression faces within the bellows; an adjusting shell said head; a valve carrier shell adjustably connected to and carried by-said adjusting shell: means operatively connecting said bellows upper end connecting member to said adjusting shell;

and a valve carried by said valve carrier shell for cooperating with said valve seat. 7

12. In a fluid pressure regulator: a housing nipple; a head secured to said nipple; an anpressure regulator: a housing nipple adapted to have one of its ends connected shoring nipple carried by said head and projecting into said housing nipple; a valve seat carried by said anchoring nipple and having a passage for fluid; a pressure responsive bellows assembly, which includes a bellows, a spring within the bellows, vand a guide pipe spring: means to anchor one end of said bellows assembly, the other end of the assembly being free; a valve for cooperation with said valve seat to control passage of fluid through said passage for fluid; means for connecting said valve to the free end of said bellows assembly; cant within said bellows.

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lubricate the sliding sursurrounding the and a lubri= 

